Vann Lake and Candy’s Copse

An 11-hectare reserve featuring a historic lake and surrounding woodlands, rich in biodiversity.

Hidden near Ockley, Vann Lake and Candy’s Copse is a secluded haven of ancient woodland and still water. Managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust, this peaceful reserve features a glassy lake surrounded by alder, oak, and birch, with a dense understorey perfect for birdlife and invertebrates. It’s a slow-paced, low-disturbance location ideal for intimate forest photography and quiet observation. Regularly featured in the FeatherFrame woodland and waterscapes collection, Vann Lake is a go-to spot for capturing seasonal transitions, moody reflections, and serene wildlife scenes.

Stillness, Texture, and Seasonal Contrast

The lake’s surface acts as a mirror—perfect for symmetry shots, overcast reflections, and backlit mist in the early morning. Candy’s Copse offers narrow trails through old woodland, where treecreepers and woodpeckers dart through layered canopies. In spring, expect bursts of wildflowers near the woodland floor; in autumn, rich copper tones reflect in the water. FeatherFrame photographers favour this site for creating introspective visual stories and for macro work with fungi, moss, and forest detail.

Best Times to Visit:

  • Spring: Fresh greens, nesting birds, wildflowers near the water’s edge

  • Summer: Dragonflies and damselflies near lake margins, shady woodland compositions

  • Autumn: Fungi, red and orange leaves reflected in the water, moody forest shots

  • Winter: Mist over the lake, bare trees, and stark shoreline minimalism

Plan Your Visit

  • Access via footpaths from Ockley or Okewood Hill; small car park available nearby

  • Conditions can be damp—waterproof boots advised year-round

  • Ideal gear: 70–200mm for birds, macro for fungi and forest floor, and wide lens for reflections

  • FeatherFrame recommends sunrise for mist, or overcast midday for even forest light

Did you know?

Vann Lake is classified as an ancient millpond, with Candy’s Copse recognised as a Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI). Together they support bats, dragonflies, dormice, and ancient woodland flora. FeatherFrame highlights this reserve for its quiet role in protecting fragile wet woodland ecosystems in Surrey.